The Scenic Route
by BlueRidgeBeauty
Summary: Gabriel loves Sam, Sam loves Gabriel back but doesn't feel like it's the right time for a relationship. Is there any way to get these two together?
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** The Scenic Route

**By: **BlueRidgeBeauty

**Summary: **Sam and Gabriel take the scenic route when it comes to acting on their feeling for each other.

**Pairing: **Gabriel/Sam, Dean/Castiel, Chuck/Becky

**Characters:** Sam, Gabriel, Cas, Dean, Chuck, Becky, Adam,

**Disclaimer:** I broke into his backyard, climbed into his sandbox, and started playing with all Kripke's pretty toys, Sadly I own nothing.

**Prologue **

**Present Day**

It is generally believed by fans of Carver Edlund's Supernatural series, that Dean and Castiel were the clueless ones who danced around each other for the better part of two years, before they stumbled their way into a relationship shortly after the apocalypse was averted. Oh how wrong an assumption that would be, while Dean and Castiel did have an astoundingly long and awkward courtship. One where nothing much happened but epic amounts of eyefucking punctuated by the occasional lover's spat, that made the unresolved sexual tension between the two so palpable, that the only ones not to notice were Dean and Castiel themselves. They did eventually figure it out, and when they did, it didn't take them a year to act on it the way it did another couple.

"Who's this other couple?" you ask, well one of them is a recently resurrected archangel turned trickster the other is Deans not quite as dense, but twice as stubborn younger brother. I'm getting ahead of myself again though, unlike Carver Edlund who once said, "Beginnings are easy, any chapped ass monkey with a keyboard can poop out a beginning." I find beginnings to be harder, especially with this story it's hard to be sure exactly where it began. I may be a bit new to this whole prophet gig, but here's where I think it began, or at least it's the best place to start.

\0/

"_Becky really, seriously you're making the second part of the Winchester Gospels slash fic?" Gabriel asked as he popped in looking over the new prophet's shoulder._

"_Of course I am, I mean it is the truth after all"_

"_Yes, but is it really necessary for future generations to know Dean and Cas, and Sam and I have been going at it like rabbits."_

"_Of course it is, you know I was just having a talk with your Father about it the other day I feel, and he agrees mind you, that it's high time he got rid of the homophobic crap that made its way into the original gospels." _

"_And I suppose neither of you could think of a way of enlightening the faithful that didn't involve writing about the intimate details of our personal lives." _

"_Gabriel, I've had to write about intimate details of my own personal life so don't even go there with me."_

"_But.."_

"_Do you really want me to call your Dad?"_

_Gabriel sighed in defeat disappearing with a snap he still couldn't believe his Dad had a thing for Becky and had decided to make his biggest fan girl his girlfriend and the new prophet. Gabriel had a feeling that the next few books in the Winchester Gospel were going to be very controversial what with all the slash porn in them. _

_Becky sighed, "Oh now where was I, he totally made me lose my train of thought."_

"_Oh yeah I remember." she said grinning as she began to type again._

\0/

You all know from the book Tall Tales how the Winchester's first met Gabriel in his guise as The Trickster. What you may not know is how Sam Winchester at first found the gossipy janitor cute, and how he liked his caramel colored eyes and quick wit. Now you may be saying "Hey wait a minute, Sam's straight he had a girlfriend Jessica Moore, remember her she burned up on the ceiling in the first book." Yes, I remember Jessica, but that doesn't mean Sam didn't do some experimenting in college before he and Jess got together, and it doesn't mean that Sam wasn't maybe just a little bit gay, or well bi to be more accurate. No, when they first met before Sam learned that they were hunting a trickster and that the handsome janitor was the trickster he actually found himself attracted to the guy.

Alternately, Gabriel is his disguise as Loki made the Winchesters for who and what they really were as soon as he laid eyes on them. His brother's vessels and annoying hunters to boot he should have walked away pulled up stakes and moved on before he had a chance to get emotionally involved but damn the younger one the one who was destined to be his fallen brother's vessel intrigued him while he could see the similarities the results of all the meddling of hell and less than well intentioned interventions of heaven that had been contrived to push the boy toward his destiny. What surprised Gabriel was that he could also see striking differences and scarily enough parallels with his own life.

Maybe that's why Gabriel just couldn't leave well enough alone maybe that's why in his own twisted convoluted way he tried to help Sam during the whole Broward County Mystery Spot fiasco. Hindsight being not only 20/20, but also a hateful bitch Gabriel came to realize that killing Dean over and over again Groundhog Day style had done more damage than good. He figured that out just about the time he came to the shocking realization that he had feeling for Sam Winchester. Regretting what he'd done Gabriel had let Sammy track him down, had planned the whole confrontation already, and knew before Sam said a thing that he was going to bring Dean back. It was only his fear of being discovered by his brothers that had kept him from warning Sam of what was to come. The fact that he brought Dean back at all was the closest he could come to an apology without blowing his cover as The Trickster because Loki would never say I'm sorry. Besides, he was also an archangel and archangels don't admit they were wrong it sort of comes with the whole phenomenal cosmic powers thing. That's not to say Gabriel didn't feel all kinds of bad about what he'd done. Somewhere beneath several centuries worth of life as a pagan god Gabriel was still an angel one that had long ago grown tired of his family's. He couldn't heal the rift in his own family, couldn't get Lucifer and all the brothers and sisters who had fallen with him back, so instead, Gabriel gave Sam his brother back. Gabriel left Broward County and it's Mystery Spot fully intent, despite whatever feeling he may have had for Sam, on staying out of the train wreck that he knew was coming.

He actually managed it for a year, well sort of, he did set one prank to attract them just so he could watch them, carefully observe how the boys were doing after Dean's trip to hell. The whole magic coin in the wishing well was totally his doing. Actually, Gabriel was a little insulted that the two of them didn't put two and two together and come up with him. He had kept the wishes he'd granted during the prank relatively harmless, but seriously, though an invisible peeping Tom, a six-foot manic depressive teddy bear and a whimpy kid who suddenly becomes super powered and kicks the bullies butt's all of it practically screamed Trickster. Gabriel had asked himself more than once how they missed guessing who had dropped that particular coin in the fountain. Gabriel did however find out something that kept him away for a long time. Let it not be said that archangels are above jealousy, because one look at Sam and Gabriel could see the demon bitch Ruby's taint all over him. In a fit of jealousy Gabriel did pull up stakes and leave too disgusted with both himself for messing Sam up the way he did back at the mystery spot, and Sam for falling for that demon whore's lies.

Gabriel felt it when Lucifer rose, felt the twisted power of the Morningstar's once comfortingly familiar grace as in broke free of the bonds that had held it for millennia. He knew what it must have meant, and he mourned the loss of Sam while waiting for Michael to descend and the battle to start. In retrospect, Gabriel thinks he may have looked something like a soldier who's staring at the dud grenade that just landed beside him waiting for it to go off. Instead of being met with instant death he finds an unexpected reprieve and doesn't quite know what to do with it. Like the soldier, Gabriel can't resist going poking at the thing, knowing full well it could all blow up in his face at any minute, but unable to resist knowing why it hasn't already. TV Land was Gabriel poking at the dud; he just had to know how the Winchesters had been able to resist saying yes. How had they been able to throw the proverbial wrench in both heaven and hell's best-laid plans? Gabriel was well aware of the way the Campbell and Winchester bloodlines had been carefully manipulated for centuries all in the name of producing the perfect vessels so that his brothers could finally have their ultimate showdown. So what had went wrong?

The answer to that question had slapped him in the face about the time he'd found himself trapped in a ring of holy fire with his cover completely blown. For centuries he had been able to fly below his brothers' radar, and fool the pagan gods and goddesses into believing he was one of them, How had one nearly fallen little seraph recognized him? Over a millennia of hiding in plain site and it was the Winchesters and his almost completely fallen little brother who figured it out. He didn't want to admit it especially not after he'd spent so long searching for his father after he'd disappeared from heaven. Gabriel was the Messenger, the Arch Herald, an archangel and one of the only four to have ever seen his Father's face if anyone should have been able to find Dad, to hear his voice it should have been Gabriel, but it hadn't been. Tired, defeated, and feeling utterly useless and abandoned Gabriel had quietly slipped out of heaven and assumed the identity of a pagan god. Why did he leave?, Dean had it all wrong granted his brothers were grade A douche bags, but really it boiled down to boredom and a feeling of abandonment, what good was a messenger without and message to deliver? Sadly, though even in all his years of running like the prodigal son in one of Jesus' parables he had never stopped searching for his Father. He'd tried filling the void left by his Fathers absence with so many things candy, women, decadent indulgences of all kinds, but it was always there a deep aching void that refused to be filled. It hurt felt like a betrayal looking at this little band of misfit's the fallen angel who'd followed his conscience and not orders, the two brothers that clung to their brotherly bond even when heaven and hell did everything in their power to destroy it and to see Him. Clear as day he saw his Father's hand all over them, no one else could have strengthened the two humans enough to continue to say no. There was no one else who could have brought Castiel back; his brothers were fools if they truly believed it had been Lucifer. Even Michael and Raphael in all their glory still connected with heaven didn't have that kind of power. Gabriel knew he didn't even though he'd never been officially cut off from heaven as Castiel had been. It was laughable that most of heaven believed that Lucifer warped as he was by his long confinement in hell would have helped the unimportant little seraph who had prevented his claiming Sam as his vessel right away. Gabriel knew Lucifer well enough to know he would have smote him on the spot. Gabriel despite all his posturing and taunting Castiel, for all his telling the Winchesters to play their rolls, Gabriel saw his Father's protective hand all over them, and it rattled him far more than his cover being blown had.

Gabriel had planned to swallow his pride and join up with Castiel and the Winchesters, but then the Kali and that pretty boy twit Balder came up with a truly idiotic plan. He'd spent several weeks trying to talk the pagans out of trying to bargain with Lucifer, or worse yet trying and fight him. Coyote and Raven had listened the Native American gods being somewhat wiser to what Lucifer was all about, what with him traipsing all over their lands stirring up trouble everywhere he went. Of course, Balder and Odin weren't smart enough to stay out of the damned mess, and Kali dragged Ganesh into it. When Team Cannon Fodder, as he had started calling his stubbornly misguided pagan friends had went and captured the Winchesters, Gabriel knew he had to intervene. What he hadn't counted on was Mercury, that sniveling little shit, going and contacting Lucifer before he could talk some sense into Kali the rest of them. Gabriel wanted to run, to just as a far the fuck away from Dodge as he could, but too many people he cared about were in that building for him to take the coward's way out, needless to say, it hadn't ended well for him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** The Scenic Route  
**Author:** BlueRidgeBeauty  
**Rating:** Mature  
**Pairings:** Sam/Gabriel, Dean/Castiel, Chuck/Becky  
**Summary:** Sam and Gabriel take the scenic route when it comes to acting on their feeling for one another.  
**Disclaimer:** Once again I broke into his backyard, climbed into his sandbox, and started playing with all of Kripke's pretty toys. Sadly I own nothing.  
**Notes:** **quidditive** requested this for the Spn Gabriel Sam Fic Exchange _- Gabriel/Sam: Post!Apocalypse. After trapping Lucifer and Michael in hell, Sam and Dean take it upon themselves to clean up the mess. Castiel and Gabriel help out. Gabriel keeps hinting to Sam that he wants their relationship to progress into something more but Sam always pushes him away, believing he doesn't have time for that no matter what he might feel for him, but Gabriel is patient. Eventually, Dean and/or Bobby give Sam a clue-by-four and Sam, realizing that he has no more excuses, gives in. Bonus points for background Dean/Castiel._ This chapter is all Gabriel and Chuck who in the fic is God. It's basically the conversation Gabriel and God have after God brings him back. It's also the set up for the rest of the fic, because God gives Gabriel a very important mission.

Chapter 1  
Just after the events of Swan Song

It should have been the end Lucifer stabbing him with his own sword, but it wasn't. One minute he was dead no longer in existence, the atoms that made up his grace spread across the universe in the explosion that had been his death, the next he was sitting in an unfamiliar living room. He looked around taking in his surroundings there were several discarded bottles of liquor laying around as well as stacks and stacks of paper.

"Where the hell am I he thought?" followed closely by "How the hell am I anywhere?"

"Hello Gabriel" the voice he'd recognize anywhere said.

"Father" he gasped.

"Hey son, long time no see.," his Father said, and Gabriel looked up into the smiling form of the disguise his Father had been using.

"You've been Chuck Shirley this whole time?" he asked.

His father nodded still smiling

Well at least has hasn't smote me yet of course he could be planning on tossing me in Lucy's old pad now that there's a vacancy. Thought Gabriel.

"Actually it's not vacant anymore, in fact it's rather crowded at the moment.," his father answered.

"Huh…" Gabriel asked still a bit too preoccupied with the fact that he was no longer dead to grasp what may have happened since he died.

"Michael is with Lucifer in the pit now."

Finally catching up with the conversation Gabriel asked "How?"

"Sam Winchester pulled him in when he took control of his body back from Lucifer."

"Sam said yes?" Gabriel asked his heart sinking.

"Only when it became clear there was no way other way of tricking Lucifer back into the cage."  
The cage, Gabriel had told them about the cage, but he never meant for it to end this way. Gabriel felt his vessel's heart clinch at the very idea of his Sam in that horrible place, trapped between his eternally bickering brothers.

His father just looked at him kindly placing a hand on each of his shoulders, "and that is why I brought you back. Gabriel you did some very bad things after you ran away, but son I understand why you did it."

"Father I'm so sorry, please forgive me!" Gabriel interrupted.

"Gabriel you're forgiven, for everything, how can I possible punish you for something I did myself."

"You left because.."

"No Gabriel, not because I stopped caring, but because I cared too much, and it hurt to see my children behaving in such a way fighting amongst each other, forgetting that they were a family."

"So we're okay?"

"Oh Gabriel, we are more than okay.," his Father said shaking his head, "you always were the sensitive one, more like me than any of them in that respect."

"But.."

"But nothing, Gabriel you're just as precious to me a either of your older brothers." His Father says, finally pulling Gabriel into a comforting hug and suddenly he was home for the first time in so very long his grace flared brightly with the sheer joy of being in his Father's presence.

"Gabriel you did the right thing when it really counted, and for that you deserved a second chance, and you can start on that by going and getting your beloved from hell. While you're at it fish the youngest Winchester out too, Adam definitely does not deserve to be confined to hell simply for saying yes to Michael."

"What about Michael?" Gabriel asked. Michael was their leader, his Father's most faithful, surely father would want him to rescue Michael.

"No Gabriel not Michael, just Sam Winchester and Adam Milligan."

"Father why are you forgiving me, and not Michael he was loyal? Gabriel began to ask.  
"Michael has renounced me since he was pulled into the pit. I think he needs a time out anyways, what with this whole premature apocalypse business being at least half his idea."

"And Raphael?" Gabriel asked.

'He's in heaven, but I doubt it will be for long." his father says with a weary sigh. "He's not happy with the new chain of command I put in place."

"New chain of command?" Gabriel asked.

"Castiel." his Father answered.

"What about Castiel?" Gabriel asked, suddenly very concerned for his fallen little brother.

"Castiel is no longer cut of from heaven Gabriel, and his may still be younger than you, but he is no longer your subordinate."

"You're demoting me?" Gabriel asked knowing he deserved far worse, but still not being able to keep the shock and hurt out of his voice.

"Of course not Gabriel you'll remain as I created you, but I did make Castiel an archangel he's running heaven now in my absence. I had to put someone in charge, and he proved to be very sensible, Raphael however, is not fit to lead."

"Let me guess, Raph's not taking all these changes too well."

"No he's not, and that's another reason I brought you back, Castiel is going to need your help and guidance."

Gabriel just nodded solemnly. "There's going to be another rebellion isn't there?"

His father just nodded sadly before reaching out to cup Gabriel's chin. "I do want you to know one thing Gabriel I am very proud of you.," he said before disappearing.


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** The Scenic Route  
**Author: **BlueRidgeBeauty  
**Rating:** Mature  
**Pairings:** Sam/Gabriel, Dean/Castiel, Chuck/Becky  
**Summary:** Sam and Gabriel take the scenic route when it comes to acting on their feeling for one another.  
**Disclaimer:** Once again I broke into his backyard, climbed into his sandbox, and started playing with all of Kripke's pretty toys. Sadly I own nothing.  
**Notes:** quiddative requested this for the Fic Exchange _- Gabriel/Sam: Post!Apocalypse. After trapping Lucifer and Michael in hell, Sam and Dean take it upon themselves to clean up the mess. Castiel and Gabriel help out. Gabriel keeps hinting to Sam that he wants their relationship to progress into something more but Sam always pushes him away, believing he doesn't have time for that no matter what he might feel for him, but Gabriel is patient. Eventually, Dean and/or Bobby give Sam a clue-by-four and Sam, realizing that he has no more excuses, gives in. Bonus points for background Dean/Castiel._ This chapter turned out to be really long, and Gabriel's kids he had while pretending to be Loki showed up, but we finally get some Sam/Gabriel scenes in this chapter.

Chapter 2

Gabriel had learned from his father that the apocalypse that both heaven and hell had spent so much time and energy planning had ended with a whimper instead of the bang that they'd all been expecting. Sam Winchester much to Gabriel's dismay had said yes, and then had been able to wrestle control of his body back from Lucifer long enough to jump into the pit, taking Michael with him. His Father noticing a distinct lack of leadership in heaven due to his extended absence, and the fact that three out of four of the archangels were dead, in the pit, or far from stable enough to lead the heavenly host had decided to bring Castiel back as an archangel. Gabriel seeing how things had turned out for Michael and Lucifer, was just glad that the he had finally chosen the right side back at the Elysian Fields Hotel, even if it had temporarily cost him his life just moments later.

It had been Gabriel that God had charged with the task of raising Sam Winchester and Adam Milligen from hell. It had been a far easier task than Gabriel had expected Lucifer had discarded his vessel as he and Michael plummeted through the depths of hell, no longer needing it to fight his brother. Michael too had discarded his vessel, and that's just how Gabriel had found them. Sam chained to the wrack beside Adam deep in Hell's pit not far from the cage where his eternally feuding brothers battled each other too busy trying to kill each other to even notice him coming to rescue their vessels.

Gabriel was still haunted by what he had seen, if there was still any question over why manipulating events in order to make Sam and Dean Winchester the perfect vessels was foolishly and fundamentally wrong, then what Gabriel saw down there in the pit should have put the notion to rest. The demons wanted revenge for Sam raining on their little "lets destroy humanity" parade, and the best one they could think of was to torture Sam until he became one of them. Much like they did with Dean they had put Sam on the wrack telling him he could come off of it if he would only pick up the knife, and start carving up Adam.

When Gabriel had arrived, Adam broken by the sight of what the demons were doing to Sam, was actually begging Sam to give in. While Sam all piss and vinegar and Winchester bravado, knowing how long John and Dean had held out in hell, was taunting the demons distracting their attention away from Adam. Sam had learned that by inviting more pain and torture for himself he could spare Adam, the half brother he'd barely gotten the chance to know, as much pain as possible.

"C'mon, that the best you got?" Sam had shouted as a demon reached into his stomach pulling out Sam's intestines with all the glee of a kitten unraveling a ball of yarn. Adam screamed the kind of hollow, broken cry that can only be managed by the damned, and those who have gone thoroughly mad. A female demon began to laugh, but it died in her throat as she was burned away by Gabriel's grace as it flared with cold fury and the righteous anger of the archangel of judgment.

There was a reason Gabriel was The Messenger, six hundred wings tends to make one exceptionally swift, and Gabriel wasn't long in Hell amongst the flames and the cries of the damned. He paused only long enough to draw his blade bringing it down mightily on the chains holding the two youngest of John Winchester's sons in place. The chains broke rattling to the floor as Gabriel scooped up a Winchester in each arm, and began the long ascent from Hell. Six hundred powerful wings beat rapidly as Gabriel soared upwards towards Earth and freedom, his grace burning bright as the surface of the sun, burning away any demons foolish enough to pursue him and his precious cargo.

Gabriel sighed when he was finally greeted by fresh air and sunshine, he grinned letting out a whoop of victory as he cart-wheeled through the air. He let his wings stretch finding the perfect air current the wind ruffling through his feathers helping him to shed the smell of sulfur still clinging to them. At first Gabriel didn't even realize where he was taking them, but once he was somewhere out over the North Atlantic it hit him he was heading to his old stomping grounds as Loki. Gabriel danced through storm clouds reveling in feel of the driving rain as it washed the taint of Hell from him and his charges. Soon enough he had made his way to a small island off the coast of Norway touching down on the craggy coast. Gabriel smirked might as well catch up with his kids as he worked to restore Sam and Adam to life. This wasn't going to be as simple as shoving a soul back in it's body the way Castiel had done with Dean because both Sam and Adam had fallen bodily into Hell.

"Fenir!" He called, and the enormous form of a wolf dog bounded out of the mists.

"Dad?" the wolf barked.

Gabriel just nodded, and the wolf dog bounded over causing the two souls in Gabriel's arms to shiver in fear.

"Fenrir wait!" Gabriel shouted, but it was too late he found himself pinned to the ground by his canine son, who was licking his face happily tail wagging like a puppy.

"Fenrir," Gabriel laughed, "you're frightening my charges you over grown pup."

Fenrir backed off finally, noticing the two terrified souls in his father's arms.

Fenrir whimpered.

"Yes Fen, they are afraid of you they think that you're a hellhound"

Another whimper, and Fenrir cocked his head to the side in a way that forcibly reminded Gabriel of Castiel, before letting out a bark and a whine.

"You're right Fen that may just work."

Fenrir gave a bark of approval, and Gabriel snapped his fingers Fenrir's image shimmered for a moment before it shrank into the form of a small Jack Russell terrier. Fenrir yipped happily before running over to lick at his father's face again.

"Yes Fen," Gabriel smiled, "daddy is glad to see you too."

"So where are those brothers of yours?" Gabriel asked.

Moments later there was the sound of hoof beats and Sleipnir appeared out of the fog, more dignified than his canine brother, he approached slowly nickering softly as he greeted his father. Gabriel ran his hands through Sleipnir's mane earning him a contented whinny from the eight legged horse. "Hey Darlin, you're looking kind of skinny are you eating enough?" he said as he snapped his fingers materializing a carrot which he gave Sleipnir.

Just then the water along the shore began to churn, and up from it's depths rose the head of a giant serpent.

"Jormungand!" Gabriel said happily, "how you doing kiddo?" The enormous serpent bobbed it's head in an agreeable manner, and Gabriel smiled.

"Good that's great! Hey Jor, you wouldn't happen to know where your sisters are would you?" Gabriel asked

The serpent seemed to nod the affirmative, and disappeared beneath the waves.

Moments later three young women appeared of the beach one with flaming red hair, one with ash blond hair, and the last with long dark hair that hid half of her face. When the wind blew some of it back, it revealed that while half of her face was that of a beautiful young woman, the other half was that of a corpse.

"Eisa" he said to the red head.

"Dad," she said, giving him a huge hug. We were so worried when Hel said she felt you die, and your spirit didn't come to her hall, we didn't know what to think.

"Everything is okay Eisa, you remember me telling you about your grandfather.

"Yes, your creator, the Christian god."

"He brought me back."

"Tell him I said thank you then." Eisa said finally letting him go.

"And who are these two?" Hel asked, pointing at the souls of Sam and Adam.

"Those I could use your help with Hel, do you think you could keep them calm while I recreate their bodies for them?"

"Yes, it should be easy enough. I'll just have to weave some of my magic around the island."

"Good that's great, keeping them calm will really help when it comes time to force their souls back into their bodies." Gabriel replied.

"Then I shall get to it." Hel said giving her father a quick hug before disappearing.

"Einmyria come here and give your old man a hug." he said to the most bashful of his offspring. Einmyria walked over looking hesitantly at the two wounded souls in his arms.

"Will they be alright?" she asked.

Gabriel nodded. "They will be, it's going to take allot of work to heal them, but yes they are going to be just fine." Gabriel said as he set to work repairing Adam's body.

It took hours and Einmyria sat beside her father keeping him company as he began the slow painstaking task of healing what was left Adam's body. Einmyria told him all the gossip concerning the Norse pantheon, and Gabriel listened with a half grin on his face as she recounted everything he had missed while he'd been dead. When Gabriel was finished restoring the body Gabriel breathed life back into it, forcing the soul to reconnect with the body, while erasing all memories of hell.

"Here watch over him." Gabriel said, placing the newly resurrected Adam in Einmyria's arms as he began to work on Sam.

Adam began to stir, and finally his pale blue eyes blinked open to look into the face of the most beautiful women he'd ever seen.

"Rest now" she said softly, brushing a long strand of ash blond hair out of her amber mixed with hazel eyes. Adam didn't know where he was, or how he was suddenly alive, but in that moment gazing into her lovely face he found he really didn't care.

Gabriel glanced over smirking at the instant attraction between his daughter and the youngest of John Winchester's sons. Thinking to himself, Gabriel decided that with Einmyria around it should be easy to keep the boy quiet and content while he began the tedious work of restoring Sam's body.

Suddenly Sleipnir appeared galloping down the beach, Fenrir bounding along behind him barking merrily as he gave chase, while Jormungand used his long tail to send waves of water splashing down on them both. Normally Gabriel would have laughed, heck he would even have joined in, but he really needed his concentration at the moment so he yelled.

"Hey Eisa, can you take your brothers to play on the other side of the island, please Sweetie?"

Eisa just grinned "Hey dumb and dumber catch me if you can!" she yelled at her brothers, already running towards the opposite side of the island. Sleipnir and Fenrir took off following her in hot pursuit, while Jormungand slipped beneath the waves no doubt planning on drenching her with a sneak attack. Gabriel smiled as he watched his kids antics grateful to be able to enjoy his family again.

Gabriel went back to his work taking special care as he mended Sam's broken and abused body. Gabriel stopped for a moment studying the sigils Castiel had carved into Sam's ribs. He had to admit his little brother was clever, he'd thought of nearly everything, but Gabriel was privy to a few sigils that only the original four archangels knew, and he added a few of those as an extra measure of protection. Gabriel had erased most of the evidence of the hazardous lifestyle of a hunter, the only reminder Gabriel allowed to mar the brand new perfection of Sam's skin was the anti possession tattoo, something Gabriel deemed too important to Sam's safety to erase. Instead he added another subtle layer of protection to it. Invisible to the human eye, but shining like a beacon to all things supernatural be they angels, demons, or anything in between, was the intricate pattern of lilies surrounding the trumpet that now rested at the center of the pentacle tattoo. It was basically a warning, stating that this human is under the direct protection of The Archangel Gabriel, attempt to harm him at your own peril.

Gabriel took a long moment to study his handiwork everything was just as he remembered it. Sam's long, lean, well muscled body, his youthful face, and his shaggy mop of longish brown hair were exactly as Gabriel remembered them. Gabriel glanced over to notice Einmyria had taken Adam down the beach a bit, the two were walking were the sand met the surf, examining various seashells that had washed up along the shore. Glad for the opportunity for some privacy, Gabriel leaned over cupping Sam's head gently between his hands, thumbs resting on either side of his forehead willing away all memory of Hell and the tortures he'd endured there. Next he bent down and instead of merrily breathing life back into Sam the way he had done with Adam, Gabriel leaned in kissing Sam's lips as he willed the life back into him.

Sam awoke to the feel of firm lips pressed hungrily against his demanding some kind of response, as the mouth pressed intimately against his urgently deepened the kiss sending sparks of soul awakening ecstasy singing through his veins. To say he was surprised was an understatement, the last thing Sam remembered was opening his arms wide and allowing himself to freefall into the pit, then nothing. It took him a moment to register the fact that his lungs weren't beginning to burn with the need to draw a breath. Panicked, Sam pushed at the body above his as a million different questions raced through his mind only to find that, although the body above him seemed much smaller than his own, it was as impossibly strong. Whoever it was broke the kiss, and Sam found himself taking deep gulping breaths of fresh air as he gazed up into familiar hazel eyes.

"Gabriel?" he gasped.

"Hey Sammy." Gabriel said a wide, genuine smile spreading across his expressive face.

"Gabriel." Sam repeated dumbfounded. What was going on? Gabriel had died back at the Elysian Fields Hotel, and Sam was pretty sure that he'd died too considering the last thing he remembered was falling into the pit. So how where they here, and where the heck was here anyways?  
"To quote Cas." Gabriel says smirking, "I gripped you tight and raised you from perdition."

"Gripped or groped?" Sam asked. "Considering the fact that you just kissed me, and dude what the hell was that about?"

"Well I did just have to breath the breath of life back into you, after putting your body back together, so a little thanks would be nice, I mean if it's not too much for you." Gabriel snapped.

"Look, I'm sorry okay, and I'm very grateful to you for pulling me out of hell. I just didn't know reviving me involved trying to push my soul back into my body with your tongue." Sam said holding up his hands in surrender, as he shot Gabriel an annoyed look.

"Yeah but you liked it," Gabriel said raising and eyebrow, "and don't even try to deny it." he added "Because hello archangel, I can read your mind like reading a book, even if the print is a bit smaller than normal with you Winchesters."

Sam blushed furiously as he tried to deny the fact, an act that may have been allot easier had Gabriel not been practically draped over him, while he was sporting a raging hard-on. Finally in a desperate attempt to steer the conversation elsewhere Sam asked.

"So were you really dead, or was it a trick?"

"I was really dead." Gabriel answered solemnly. "Dad brought me back."

Sam nodded, understanding how personal the topic might be for Gabriel. "Um Gabriel, could you maybe, let me up?" he asked.

Oh yeah, sure. Sorry about that." Gabriel said backing up quickly so that he could help pull Sam to his feet. Sam had the fleeting impression that if archangels could blush Gabriel would be the shade of a beet at the moment.

Deciding to break the tension he asked. "So where are we exactly?"

"Somewhere of the coast of Norway, it's a little island where me and the kids like to hang out."

"The kids?" Sam asked his voice squeaking a little as he remembered that Gabriel was Loki, and that according to one his college courses Loki had several children one of them being a huge wolf, another the Norse goddess of the underworld, another that was an enormous snake. And wasn't Loki have supposed to have given birth to an eight-legged horse.

"Yes kids." Gabriel said a hint of pride coloring his voice.

"So the legends are true then, you actually gave birth to an eight-legged horse."

Gabriel rolled his eyes. "So I was kind of still new to the whole trickster gig, and one of my tricks may have backfired on me a little, but you know in the end it worked out for the best Sleipnir's a great kid."  
"So how many kids do you have exactly?" Sam asked.

Exactly I'm not sure I may have a few running around that I'm not aware of, but the ones I know about are Sleipnir by the horse Svaldifari, Eisa and Einmyria my daughter's by Glut, then Fenrir, Jormungand and Hel by Angrboda, and finally Sigyn and I had Narvi and Vali he said sadly. Remembering the story from his class Sam didn't push Gabriel for any further information on his two ill-fated sons.

"Wow, that's quite a brood." Sam says.

"Yeah, I guess may have been something of a ladies man once I actually figured out how much fun sex could be."

Sam just chuckled.

"So I guess you're probably wanting me to take you and Adam to see Dean now, let him know your out so he can quitting attempting to live the apple pie life with Lisa."

"Adam's here, you got him out too?" Sam asked.

"Yep," said Gabriel pointing down the beach to where Adam and Einmyria were playfully splashing through the surf. "looks like my little girl, and your little brother have made a love connection."

Sam smiled. "Adam deserves to be happy."

"So are you ready for me to zap you to where Dean's at, or would you rather go to Bobby's at first?"

"Um actually neither," said Sam, "I mean as much as I may want to see Dean he deserves to have a chance to live a normal life."

Gabriel rolled his eyes heavenward, muttering something in a language Sam didn't recognize, but the gesture was familiar enough that Sam assumed Gabriel was asking his Father for patience. Gabriel looked back at him fixing him with a penetrating gaze. "What about you Sammy, when is it your turn to be happy, when do you get what you deserve?"

"When do I get what I deserve?" Sam asked incredulously. "Gabriel I don't deserve to have been pulled out of the pit after what I did, just being alive is far more than I deserve. All that I can ask for is to be allowed the chance to try to redeem myself, just a little bit, I know I'll never be good enough to be forgiven for the whole letting Lucifer out of his cage thing, but I can still try."

"Sam," Gabriel said reaching out to shake some sense into the young man. "my Father has forgiven you please don't waste this opportunity he's given you by not being able to forgive yourself."

"No Gabriel just no."

"Why Sam, why does it make sense to punish yourself for something you were manipulated into doing?"

"Because damn it Gabriel, almost ending the world isn't something you can just say "Oops my bad" to and expect everything to just be forgiven."

"Why not?"

"Because sorry doesn't cover it Gabriel, people died and it was all my fault."

So making yourself miserable is going to make it better? You know penance is a human concept, forgiveness is my Father's, in fact it's his specialty."

"Why is this so important to you Gabriel?"

"I don't know maybe because I like you Sam, or maybe because I actually care about you and want to see you happy."

"How could you care about me you being what you are, and me being an abomination."

"Sam in case you missed the memo I haven't exactly been the holiest of archangels in a very long time, and my Father forgave me. Why is so hard for you to believe he could feel the same way about you when you've been manipulated since before you were even born? Look at me Sam," Gabriel demanded, "Everything I've done, all the people I killed over the years as Loki, I did with a smile on my face knowing damn well what I was doing was wrong. If you're an abomination then so am I."

"I was Lucifer's vessel!" Sam shouted.

"And I'm his brother." Gabriel shot back.

"Just leave me alone damn it." Sam said as he stormed off down the beach.

"This is going to be harder than I thought." Gabriel said to himself as he watched Sam walk away.


End file.
